Christians
absolutely need the fellowship and spiritual support of the Body of Christ, and
I strongly believe in the leadership of the the church pastor.
Christianity, I believe, is not some religious structure or social institution. It is not merely a set of beliefs or crazy about the nature of reality. The Christian faith rests on the truth: ultimate reality. Chuck Colson also said that and he continues: "the Christian faith rests on the truth: ultimate reality. Christian experience begins with a personal relationship with Jesus Christ made possible as men and women are declared righteous by their faith."
Using the word faith sometimes is linked with things not real reality. I disagree with that thought--"not the landscape of reality", The biblical faith is linked with hope, something everyone utilizes. In reality:Faith in itself is something that everyone exercises continually in the reality of everyday life.
Quoting Colson again, "these born-again individuals then constitute a new society that points to the coming kingdom, which is centered on the core of all meaning--the God Who was, Who is, and Who is to come, and the God who has revealed Himself in human history.
"The One who said,' I am the truth,' also said that' (the Father's) word is truth. But truth is propositional and revealed; God has spoken through Scripture, and thus we are given a comprehensive revelation of reality. Thus, the orthodox creeds, which flow from Scripture and which have historically been regarded as the fundamentals of the Christian faith, are rooted in absolute and ultimate truth.
"In the middle of the darkest night of Pilate's life, Jesus told,' Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.' Pilate had ears, but he did not hear. And he turned away asking, but the What is truth?' even as he stood before the truth Himself.
'But Pilate is more than a tragic figure of Shakespearean proportions, condemned by history to wish is bloodstained hands forever. We symbolizes the very mind of man, particularly modern man. You can see Pilate asking his disdainful question in living color any day. Simply turn on your television." Ibid pp.163 – 164
"Spiritual consumers are interested not in what the church stands for but in the fulfillment it can deliver. Thus the under 45 generation, 60% of whom defined themselves as independent spiritual seekers, reject the notion that one should be in limited to a single faith. The result is "an age of mix'em, match'em, salad bar spirituality." And it really doesn't matter whether it is Orthodox or New Age, majority of Christians believe all religions worship the same God." Ibid
George Barna, astute observer and critic of the church, and concerned Evangelical Christian writes "This consumer demand will intensify shaping the future church. Increasingly people will come not for hearing the words of Christ but for their own personalized religious systems that will meet their need for a religious perspective without requiring the sacrifices and commitment that traditional Christianity demands"
"This consumer mentality, in turn pressures churches to respond in kind. When the findings of a major foundation study revealed the sharp decline of several Protestant denominations, the chief researcher acknowledged with disarming candor: "The challenge, I tell ministers, is that they must ask themselves why people are in front of them on Sunday mornings instead of somewhere else. The church is in a competitive situation for people's leisure time." We are competing with cable television, Nintendo games, theme parks, and health clubs."
What
about Super Bowl Sunday with the National Football League Super Bowl?
Christianity, I believe, is not some religious structure or social institution. It is not merely a set of beliefs or crazy about the nature of reality. The Christian faith rests on the truth: ultimate reality. Chuck Colson also said that and he continues: "the Christian faith rests on the truth: ultimate reality. Christian experience begins with a personal relationship with Jesus Christ made possible as men and women are declared righteous by their faith."
Using the word faith sometimes is linked with things not real reality. I disagree with that thought--"not the landscape of reality", The biblical faith is linked with hope, something everyone utilizes. In reality:Faith in itself is something that everyone exercises continually in the reality of everyday life.
Quoting Colson again, "these born-again individuals then constitute a new society that points to the coming kingdom, which is centered on the core of all meaning--the God Who was, Who is, and Who is to come, and the God who has revealed Himself in human history.
"The One who said,' I am the truth,' also said that' (the Father's) word is truth. But truth is propositional and revealed; God has spoken through Scripture, and thus we are given a comprehensive revelation of reality. Thus, the orthodox creeds, which flow from Scripture and which have historically been regarded as the fundamentals of the Christian faith, are rooted in absolute and ultimate truth.
"In the middle of the darkest night of Pilate's life, Jesus told,' Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.' Pilate had ears, but he did not hear. And he turned away asking, but the What is truth?' even as he stood before the truth Himself.
'But Pilate is more than a tragic figure of Shakespearean proportions, condemned by history to wish is bloodstained hands forever. We symbolizes the very mind of man, particularly modern man. You can see Pilate asking his disdainful question in living color any day. Simply turn on your television." Ibid pp.163 – 164
"Spiritual consumers are interested not in what the church stands for but in the fulfillment it can deliver. Thus the under 45 generation, 60% of whom defined themselves as independent spiritual seekers, reject the notion that one should be in limited to a single faith. The result is "an age of mix'em, match'em, salad bar spirituality." And it really doesn't matter whether it is Orthodox or New Age, majority of Christians believe all religions worship the same God." Ibid
George Barna, astute observer and critic of the church, and concerned Evangelical Christian writes "This consumer demand will intensify shaping the future church. Increasingly people will come not for hearing the words of Christ but for their own personalized religious systems that will meet their need for a religious perspective without requiring the sacrifices and commitment that traditional Christianity demands"
"This consumer mentality, in turn pressures churches to respond in kind. When the findings of a major foundation study revealed the sharp decline of several Protestant denominations, the chief researcher acknowledged with disarming candor: "The challenge, I tell ministers, is that they must ask themselves why people are in front of them on Sunday mornings instead of somewhere else. The church is in a competitive situation for people's leisure time." We are competing with cable television, Nintendo games, theme parks, and health clubs."
What about Super Bowl Sunday with the National Football League Super Bowl?
Christianity, I believe, is not some religious structure or social institution. It is not merely a set of beliefs or crazy about the nature of reality. The Christian faith rests on the truth: ultimate reality. Chuck Colson also said that and he continues: "the Christian faith rests on the truth: ultimate reality. Christian experience begins with a personal relationship with Jesus Christ made possible as men and women are declared righteous by their faith."
Using the word faith sometimes is linked with things not real reality. I disagree with that thought--"not the landscape of reality", The biblical faith is linked with hope, something everyone utilizes. In reality:Faith in itself is something that everyone exercises continually in the reality of everyday life.
Quoting Colson again, "these born-again individuals then constitute a new society that points to the coming kingdom, which is centered on the core of all meaning--the God Who was, Who is, and Who is to come, and the God who has revealed Himself in human history.
"The One who said,' I am the truth,' also said that' (the Father's) word is truth. But truth is propositional and revealed; God has spoken through Scripture, and thus we are given a comprehensive revelation of reality. Thus, the orthodox creeds, which flow from Scripture and which have historically been regarded as the fundamentals of the Christian faith, are rooted in absolute and ultimate truth.
"In the middle of the darkest night of Pilate's life, Jesus told,' Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.' Pilate had ears, but he did not hear. And he turned away asking, but the What is truth?' even as he stood before the truth Himself.
'But Pilate is more than a tragic figure of Shakespearean proportions, condemned by history to wish is bloodstained hands forever. We symbolizes the very mind of man, particularly modern man. You can see Pilate asking his disdainful question in living color any day. Simply turn on your television." Ibid pp.163 – 164
"Spiritual consumers are interested not in what the church stands for but in the fulfillment it can deliver. Thus the under 45 generation, 60% of whom defined themselves as independent spiritual seekers, reject the notion that one should be in limited to a single faith. The result is "an age of mix'em, match'em, salad bar spirituality." And it really doesn't matter whether it is Orthodox or New Age, majority of Christians believe all religions worship the same God." Ibid
George Barna, astute observer and critic of the church, and concerned Evangelical Christian writes "This consumer demand will intensify shaping the future church. Increasingly people will come not for hearing the words of Christ but for their own personalized religious systems that will meet their need for a religious perspective without requiring the sacrifices and commitment that traditional Christianity demands"
"This consumer mentality, in turn pressures churches to respond in kind. When the findings of a major foundation study revealed the sharp decline of several Protestant denominations, the chief researcher acknowledged with disarming candor: "The challenge, I tell ministers, is that they must ask themselves why people are in front of them on Sunday mornings instead of somewhere else. The church is in a competitive situation for people's leisure time." We are competing with cable television, Nintendo games, theme parks, and health clubs."
Christianity, I believe, is not some religious structure or social institution. It is not merely a set of beliefs or crazy about the nature of reality. The Christian faith rests on the truth: ultimate reality. Chuck Colson also said that and he continues: "the Christian faith rests on the truth: ultimate reality. Christian experience begins with a personal relationship with Jesus Christ made possible as men and women are declared righteous by their faith."
Using the word faith sometimes is linked with things not real reality. I disagree with that thought--"not the landscape of reality", The biblical faith is linked with hope, something everyone utilizes. In reality:Faith in itself is something that everyone exercises continually in the reality of everyday life.
Quoting Colson again, "these born-again individuals then constitute a new society that points to the coming kingdom, which is centered on the core of all meaning--the God Who was, Who is, and Who is to come, and the God who has revealed Himself in human history.
"The One who said,' I am the truth,' also said that' (the Father's) word is truth. But truth is propositional and revealed; God has spoken through Scripture, and thus we are given a comprehensive revelation of reality. Thus, the orthodox creeds, which flow from Scripture and which have historically been regarded as the fundamentals of the Christian faith, are rooted in absolute and ultimate truth.
"In the middle of the darkest night of Pilate's life, Jesus told,' Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.' Pilate had ears, but he did not hear. And he turned away asking, but the What is truth?' even as he stood before the truth Himself.
'But Pilate is more than a tragic figure of Shakespearean proportions, condemned by history to wish is bloodstained hands forever. We symbolizes the very mind of man, particularly modern man. You can see Pilate asking his disdainful question in living color any day. Simply turn on your television." Ibid pp.163 – 164
"Spiritual consumers are interested not in what the church stands for but in the fulfillment it can deliver. Thus the under 45 generation, 60% of whom defined themselves as independent spiritual seekers, reject the notion that one should be in limited to a single faith. The result is "an age of mix'em, match'em, salad bar spirituality." And it really doesn't matter whether it is Orthodox or New Age, majority of Christians believe all religions worship the same God." Ibid
George Barna, astute observer and critic of the church, and concerned Evangelical Christian writes "This consumer demand will intensify shaping the future church. Increasingly people will come not for hearing the words of Christ but for their own personalized religious systems that will meet their need for a religious perspective without requiring the sacrifices and commitment that traditional Christianity demands"
"This consumer mentality, in turn pressures churches to respond in kind. When the findings of a major foundation study revealed the sharp decline of several Protestant denominations, the chief researcher acknowledged with disarming candor: "The challenge, I tell ministers, is that they must ask themselves why people are in front of them on Sunday mornings instead of somewhere else. The church is in a competitive situation for people's leisure time." We are competing with cable television, Nintendo games, theme parks, and health clubs."
What about Super Bowl Sunday with the National Football League Super Bowl?
Excellent and time relevant piece.Thanks.
ReplyDelete